A Lesson in Pattern and Colour
Location: Essex, United Kingdom
Creative styling consultant: Tracy Nors
Photographer: Jesper Nors
A Lesson in Pattern and Colour
A riot of colour is what springs to mind on entering the home of Shella Anderson. Driving up the street and arriving at this turn of the century house was a different experience, for the exterior, smart and unassuming, gave no clue to the hidden delights beyond those walls.
A Wonderfully Sociable Home
Shella has created a wonderfully sociable home for a growing family of three girls, each having there own personal room and with a large open plan family space out onto an outside terrace, complete with mirrors and furniture and beautiful planting. A bespoke kitchen, commissioned from a local joiner houses Shella’s gorgeous vintage treasures.
Her eye for colour and pattern can be seen everywhere, including some striking examples of vintage wallpaper.
Intelligent use of space
The space has been used intelligently and creatively to suit everyone’s needs. These bookcases make a clever room divider whilst accommodating Shella’s collection of style books.
In one of the girl’s rooms, an Ikea shelving unit has been adapted to hang on the wall, thus freeing up floor space.
Even the hallway, with it’s striking Orla Keily wallpaper doubles as an office space.
In the warm months, the terrace doubles as an extension of the living space and is colourful, cosy and inviting. Shella travelled throughout Australia earlier in her life and has been influenced by their outdoor lifestyle, where the terrace is very much a part of many homes.
Bedrooms with patterns and colour
Once a bungalow, the home now has an upstairs bedroom and bathroom, extended by the Anderson’s to create their own Master suite. This wonderful space is testament to Shella’s individual approach to décor; it has a luxurious feel but utilises some discarded and recyclable elements such as the lovely mirror, found in a skip!
The layering of pattern and colour is the key to this look and this is never more evident than in the girl’s bedrooms, where Shella and the girls have really enjoyed themselves creating these colourful, imaginative and comfortable spaces by using vintage textiles wallpapers and furniture. It is not a precious look, but relaxed and homely, where the children can feel happy.
A real family affair
During the day, I was treated to some of Shella’s homemade soup and bread, along with the youngest child and Shella’s mother, a real family affair, which is the overriding feeling I have about this home.
It is a beautiful, colourful and imaginative home, which takes into account the practicalities of all members of the household.
Shella hopes to one day, open a café/vintage store in her nearby village, I look forward to seeing that, I can already imagine what it will be like.